Improvement in grain-binders



. 3 Sheets--Sheet1. EDWARD H. CLINTON.

Improvement in Grain-Binders N0. 126,129, Patented April30,1v872.

FIG N 1.

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3 Sheets -Sheet EDWARD H. CLINTON. Improvement in Grain-Binders.

. 3 S heets--Shee13k EDWARD H. CLINTON.

Improvement in Grain-Binders. No. 126,129. -PatentedAprH30,1872.

EDWARD H. CLINTON,

PATENT OFFICE.

on IOWA CITY, IOWA.

IMPROVEMENT IN GRAIN-BINDERS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 126,129, dated April 30, 1872.

SPECIFICATION.

I, EDWARD H. CLINTON, of Iowa City, in the county of Johnson and State of Iowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Grain-Binders, of which the following is a full description, reference being had to the accompanying drawing making a part of this specification, in which-- Figure 1 is a side elevation; Fig. 2, a plan view of the grooves and cams of the roller; Fig. 3, a detached view, showing the construction of the device for holding the cord, with a detail giving a front view of the device; Fig. 4, a View of the lower end of the needle-arm; Fig. 5, a top or plan view; Fig. 6, views of the needles detached; Fig. 7, a top view'of the block or supplementary frame containing the tying devices; Fig. 8, a reverse view of the same frame; Fig. 9, views of the tying-needle; and Fig. 10, a top or plan view of the supplementary frame, having a small portion cut away to exhibit the cam for opening tyingneedle. Figs. 1, 2, and 5 are one-fourth of the full-sized machine; Figs. 3, 4, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10, one-half full size.

This invention relates to that class of machines for binding grain by means of a cord; and its nature consists in certain improvements in the needle, in the devices for tying the knot, holding the cord, and in operating the several devices.

In the drawing, A represents the main frame B, vibrating arm; 0, tension-regulator; D, needle; E, the vertical portion of the main frame; F, slot or opening for the needle; G, driving-wheels; H, cam-cylinder I, knife-rod J, top plate; K, supplementary frame contain-,

ing the tying devices; L, journaLplate; M, brush for holding the end of the cord; N, platform for supporting the sheaf; 0, spring supporting the platform N; 1?, arm for grasping the sheaf; Q, shaft for supporting and operating the needle-arm; R S, miter-wheels for driving the cam-cylinder; T, wheel or arm for a carrying the wrist-pin of the pitinan; U, part of the needle-arm extending below the shaft; V, pitman; W, cross-bars for supporting the frame; X, a vertical part of the frame, against which and the part E the supplementary frame K is placed and held in position; Y, tyingneedle; Z, brush for holding the cord in position to be caught by the tying-needle a, knife;

b, cam or eccentric wheel for holding the cord when the knife is operated; 0, spring for operating b,- d, an incline or projection for opening or moving the wheel I); e, spring operatin g against the wheel I); f, projection for opening wheel I) in connection with the-incline d,- g, projection on the inside of the needle for forcing the cord between the wheel b and spring a; h, arm for carrying the end of the cord under thebrush; M; z', groove with cam-projection for operating the tying-needle; j, camgroove for operating the bar 0 and rack 12; k, groove with cam-projection for operating the knife-rod I; Z, pin or projection running in the groove j for operating the bar 0,- m, pin running in groove 11 for operating the needle Y; a, pin running in groove k, opera-ting the knife-rod I; 0, arm pivoted below the pin m, connected at its upper end with a block or socket, 19, attached to the needle Y; q, a similar arm connected at its upper end to a block or socket, 1", attached to the knife-rod I; s and t, jaws, forming a clamp to hold the cord for the ascent of the needle; u, looper attached to the jaw s,- o, hook at the end of the arm h,- w, projection to keep the cord in position when the needle descends; w, spring-cam for opening the jaws of the tying-needle; y 2, gearcogs for operating the jaws s t,- a, movable jaw of the tyingn eedle 1), projection attached to the heel of the jaw a; 0, spring passing under the heel of the jaw a; d, incline for opening the jaw; e, spring for operating the cam or bar as; f, arm of thejaw s,- g, arm of the jaw t,- h, arm or projection in which the spring-bar w is pivoted; i, needle-hole in the plate J; j and k, gear-wheels by which the arm his operated; Z, intermediate wheel between the pinion m and the cogs on the side of the shaft 7'; n, rack for operating wheel j; 0, movable bar supporting the rack n,- p, nut and screw for adjusting the rack n on its supporting-bar; q, groove in bed-plate for guiding the bar 0,- 7", shaft for operating the arm f with the jaw; 8, projection for separating the cord to insure perfect operation of the tying-needle; t, roughened projection on the plate E, operating in conjunction with the brush Z to prevent the displacement of the cordwhen the tying-needle advances; a, pin in plate E, under which the cord is drawn by the tying-needle, the object being to prevent the cord from being drawn to so sharp an angle as to interfere with the operations of the main needle; 12', groove near the point of the needle D, through which the spring 6 passes to part the cord from the needle and iiisure its entrance into the holding device 6 b,- w, groove on the opposite side of the needle to prevent injury to the cord, and also prevent the cord from interfering with the operation of the needle; :10 w, cord-eyes on the needle-arm; hole in the head of the needle-arm; 1, cam in groove 2' to advance and retract the tyingneedle; 2, cam in same groove by means of which the projection b is forced onto the incline d to open the jaws a and release the knot; 3, incline or cam in the groove j, by which the rack-bar 0 is advanced; 4, similar groove, by which it is returned 5, cam-p rojection in groove It, by which the knife ,ct is advanced and returned. y

The principal part of this machine is made of cast-iron or other suitable material, and the needle and springs are usually made of steel. It will be well to provide the pins Z, m, and n with sleeves or collars to prevent wear and reduce friction.

This binder can be applied to any reapingmachine, but will be most easily applied to that class of reapers which are provided with sweep-rakes. When applied to one of these reaping-machines it is located at the reel end of the platform, in such a position that the grain will be swept against the cord, and between the point of the needle D, when elevated, and the plate J g and the gear-wheel G in this class of reapers can be connected directly with the machinery for moving the rake. It will also be advisable to house or cover this binder ina suitable box to prevent dust and dirt from getting into it or interfering with its operation. It is also so located that the plate J will be level with the platform of the reaper. A suitable spool or reel for carrying the cord is attached to or placed near the lower end of the arm B. From this spool a cord is carried through the eye 00, around the tension device 0, through the eye as, then through the hole 9 then through the eye in the point of the needle, through which it is drawn, leaving the cord to project at a length about equal to the length of the needle.

In operation the needle descends into the opening F, when the loose end is caught in the hook t of the arm h, and is carried by it under the brush M, where it is held, and also under thebrush Z. At the same time it is carried over the looper a, when the jaws s t close and hold it as placed. The needle then rises, which movement completes the loop around the looper a. The machine is now ready to receive the grain, which is swept between the needle and plate J onto the platform N when the needle again descends. The arm P passes over the sheaf, and assists the cord in compressing it into form. In this second descent the needle passes through the loop previously formed carried under the brush Z. As soon as the.

projection b has completely passed the bar at, the spring a closes the jaws on the cord. In returning, the projection 11 passes over the upper end of the bar 00, so that the jaws are not opened 011 the return movement. After the tying-needle has returned, the needle D rises, which completes the knot. On the return movement of the needle D the clampingjaws s t open and release the loop. The knife (0 then advances and cuts the cord between the knot just formed and the needle D, which has risen far enough to leave a sufficient length of string for forming the next loop. The tying-needle then (by means of the cam 2) recedes, so as to bring the projection b onto the incline d, which opens the jaws a and allows the sheaf to roll off from the machine.

In order to prevent the slack cord from being taken up by the band of the sheaf the cord, in the second descent of the needle, is made to pass between the spring 0 and the eccentric b, by means of which it is firmly griped and held. The spring 0 projects somewhat beyond the eccentric b, so as to pass through the groove vof the needle and between the needle and the cord. The projection g near the upper end of the needle drives the cord in between this spring and the eccentric. When the knife a returns to position it passes over the eccentric I), and by means of the projection f and incline d the clamp is opened and the cord let out.

In order to insure the perfect operation of the tying-needle a small plate, 8, is made to project in the needleopening F, so as to part the cord from the needle to give room f or the tying-needle to pass between the tying-needle D and the cord. The roughened projections t prevent the cord from being crowded so far back as .to be out of the reach of the tyingneedle. The arm h is provided with a hub, through which the shaft 1" passes, so that they may have separate movements. The rack n is adjusted with the wheel j and the teeth on the arm h, so that at the first descent of the needle the arm it passes around under the brush M. The same movement also, by means of the gear-wheels and the cogs m, l, 1 and z, closes the clamping-jaws s t, in which position they remain until the needle has ascended and descended, when the return movement of the rack n opens the clamping-jaws and returns the arm h to its original position. By locating the platform N on the spring 0 or other suitable spring the band is made to accommodate itself to any size sheaf, and it also prevents the breaking of the band in case an unusually-large sheaf is placed in the binder.

The knot as completed is shown and described in a patent heretofore granted to me July 13, 1869.

What I claim as new is- 1. The combination of the cylinder H, provided with the cam z, with the arm 0 and tying-needle Y, substantially as described.

2. The combination of the cylinder H, provided with the cam-groove j, with the sliding bar 0 and rack a, wheels j m, and arm 72, substantially as specified.

3. The combination of the cylinder H, provided with the cam-groove k, with the arm q, bar I, and knife a, substantially as described.

4. The combination of the tying-needle Y, constructed as described, with the spring-bar w and incline d, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination of the spring 6 with the eccentric b and spring 0 for holding the slackcord, substantially as set forth.

6. The needle D, when provided with the heel or projection g for drawing the cord back, substantially as specified.

7. The needle D, when provided with the groove 1), in combination with the spring or projection e for separating the cord and needle, substantially as described.

8. The projection s, in combination with the needle D, having its sides flattened or cut away, for opening and supporting the loop, substantially as specified.

9. The projection t, in combination with the brush Z, for holding the cord in position to be grasped by the tying-needle, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of the arm h with the brushes-M and Z, substantially as and for the V 

